A London delftware caudle cup, dated 1676


Of squat shape with a concave base and single thickened handle, inscribed in blue with the names 'WILLIAM:CHIP' and 'ELIZABETH:CHIP' above the date 1676, the names between borders of alternate chevrons, 9cm high
|Provenance:F.W. PhillipsMrs. Sinclair, Sotheby's sale, 12 October 1954, lot 17Thomas G. Burn, Rous Lench Collection, Christie's sale 29-30 May 1990, lot 8Syd Levethan, Longridge Collection, Christie's sale 24 January 2011, lot 34Literature:Illustrated by Lipski and Archer, Dated English Delftware (1984), fig.780, also by Leslie B. Grigsby, the Longridge Collection of English Slipware and Delftware (2000), fig.D107Exhibited:Michael Archer, English Delftware at the Rijksmuseum (1973), cat. no. 43The shape is known as a caudle cup and the decoration suggests this example was made for a marriage. Many examples of the shape were found at Pickleherring and other Caudle cups were made at Norfolk House. An example sold by Bonhams from the Sampson & Horne Collection was inscribed 'A Health to King Charles 2d', suggesting the shape was intended for toasting.